A question about Hysteria?
Asked by
Shippy (
10020
)
November 23rd, 2012
One of Freud’s theories was the theory of Hysteria.
“Hysteria, a psychoneurosis, in which unconscious emotional conflicts appear as severe mental dissociation or as physical symptoms (conversion reactions), is not dependent upon any known organic or structural pathology. The underlying anxiety is assumed to have been “converted” into a physical symptom.”
Quoted from this source.
Got me thinking about how this mainly influenced a lot of thought today. Meaning, positive thinking or negative thinking and how it can influence health. Some disagree and say thinking does not influence health? But in this instant, I am talking about possible conversions of say hysteria and a manifested symptom. These can be physical and organic, or thoughts, or mental health (dissociative). Have you experienced a symptom that had no real organic base, or came at a time where you were thinking a certain way?
An example would be, the mother in law came to say, and my husband lost his voice. Do you believe that on a deep unconscious level you can manifest physical symptoms? If so have you experienced this?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
17 Answers
Absolutely, the mind/body connection is huge. I have never experienced this, but, my ex husband was so freaked out when I served him divorce papers that he had to cancel picking up our daughter that day because he was going to the doctor for seeing black spots in his vision. A case of hysterical blindness, seriously! I had to laugh, and I did. lol
I do think that the mind plays a part in our health and there is so much about the mind that we still do not really understand but to me there is no way it simply will not have an impact.
If I think of my father then he has a heart condition that is simply classed by a top cardiologist as being in a small percentage where they have no idea what causes it. There is the idea that not feeling loved when young can then manifest itself in heart issues later on in life and perhaps it is no coincidence that his heart condition appeared when his father showed more love to his sister when she was due to give birth than he had ever done towards him or me. (there is a big age gap between my cousin and I)
I do remember times where the lack of love was discussed and how he was falling over himself to help this new addition to the family whereas I struggle to remember anything that he did for me apart from maybe one or two things.
@TheProfoundPorcupine Interesting I wonder how many people who felt unloved as a child, suffer heart conditions.
What strange, exotic language do I hear/read?
Forsooth, be it the lingo of the sarcastic git…...I like.
I think its a shitty song. Sorry.
What the fuck are you apologising for?
Of course the song is crap, as are the band…just used it for a lil gag that’s all.
@ucme I take it back. Fuck that shitty song! :)
@Only138 The band’s drummer had only one arm…..WTF?
@ucme I think that song might be one of the most overplayed song of the 80’s.
@ucme Careful, I think you’re getting hysterical.
@Only138 Yeah, that & the fucking theme from Fame :¬(
@Coloma Put ya teeth back in dearie, I can’t tell what ya sayin!
I don’t think the body and the mind can be thought of a separate from each other. The one influences the other I’m sure. I don’t have any personal examples to give apart from a loss of appetite when feeling worried but the most extreme examples I can think of are the shell shocked soldiers of the First World War.
I think you can make yourself sick with your mind, but I don’t think you can, say, cure cancer with positive thoughts.
@augustlan No, I agree but , if you find the root cause? The belief system that caused that disease in you. Maybe that would work.
I don’t think you can cause cancer (or other serious diseases) with negative thoughts, either. When I say, “make yourself sick”, I’m thinking more about lesser illnesses. Like how anxiety can raise your heart rate or make you puke for days and depression or low self-esteem can lead to not taking good care of yourself – leaving you run down and possibly lower your immune system’s defenses, opening yourself to being more likely to catch a cold or something like that.
Answer this question 
Composing members:
0
